As the NFL season approaches, fantasy football drafts are hitting their peak of the season. NFL Preseason has wrapped up, and I am now going to go through draft-specific content. This article will cover five players, one in each of the first five rounds of drafts, that I will not be drafting at their ADP. This will cater to 12-man leagues in a PPR (Point per Reception) format. This list will also be based on ESPN’s PPR Top 300 Sheet. With that being said, let’s get into it.
Fantasy Football Players to Avoid
Round 1:Â De’Von Achane
The player to avoid in round one of your fantasy drafts is De’Von Achane. As the RB6 and 12th-ranked overall player by ESPN, Achane is the lowest-ranked player in this round. There is a bit too much risk compared to the other options after him. Achane is already dealing with a calf issue, and those soft tissue injuries tend to linger over the course of the season. This, combined with the worry of Tua Tagovailoa’s health and the regression of the offense as a whole, means I am out on Achane as a first-round pick. I prefer to select Nico Collins, Brian Thomas Jr., or Derrick Henry in this range.
Round 2: Tee Higgins
The player that you should avoid in round two is Tee Higgins. Higgins is in a high-powered offense and is tied to one of the best QBs in the NFL with Joe Burrow. He has consistently shown productivity in fantasy football throughout his career when he is on the field. He is ranked as the WR11 for fantasy football on ESPN, but has only had one season of his career where he was WR11 or better in points per game. In 2024, when he hit that mark, he still missed five games. The round two price tag is too high when guys like Ladd McConkey, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and Kyren Williams are sitting below him.
Round 3: Tyreek Hill
In round three, the player that you should be avoiding is Tyreek Hill. He is ranked as the WR12 and ranked 25th overall, one pick below Tee Higgins. As I expressed with Achane, the offense and Tagovailoa’s health are significant concerns for me. Also, Hill took a massive dip in his efficiency across the board when you look at his advanced metrics. Betting on a 31-year-old receiver to get back to his prime athletic form isn’t a good formula for success in fantasy football. I would rather select McConkey, Smith-Njigba, Williams, and all of the elite quarterbacks.
Round 4: TreVeyon Henderson
This one is probably the hottest take, but in round four it’s TreVeyon Henderson. Throughout the preseason, Henderson has been the biggest riser on many people’s rankings. But this price may be too high compared to the guys around him. Henderson is a talented player in his own right, but the Patriots’ offense is not something I want to invest in with early draft capital. I would easily take Henderson if he falls to the early fifth round, but drafting him as an early fourth-round pick is a risk that I’m not willing to take. Alvin Kamara, Omarion Hampton, Kenneth Walker, James Conner, and Mike Evans are all players I would draft ahead of Henderson in fantasy football this season.
Round 5: D’Andre Swift
In the fifth round, the player to avoid is D’Andre Swift. I don’t think Swift is a bad player; I think the guys around him are much better options, in my opinion. This area is filled with high upside wide receivers like DJ Moore, Courtland Sutton, Calvin Ridley, George Pickens, Jameson Williams, and many more options. If you genuinely need a running back at this point, it’s better to wait and go for a David Montgomery or Aaron Jones in the next round.
Honorable Mentions and Wrap-Up
In this article, I mentioned one player from each of the first five rounds in fantasy football that I would be avoiding at their cost. In the first round, Achane is followed by Higgins in the second round. In the third round, it is Hill. The fourth round, Henderson, and the fifth round, Swift. Lastly, some honorable mentions in each round of your fantasy football drafts:
Round 1: Christian McCaffrey
Round 2: Jonathan Taylor
Round 3: Davante Adams, James Cook
Round 4: Chuba Hubbard, D.K. Metcalf
Round 5: Zay Flowers, Jerry Jeudy
Main Image: Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
